


Antidote

by Shortandverynerdy



Category: Gotham - Fandom
Genre: Gotham, Gotham Season 3, Other, gotham fanfic, gotham fanfiction
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-10
Updated: 2020-10-18
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:15:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,204
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23583697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shortandverynerdy/pseuds/Shortandverynerdy
Summary: Harriet is a well respected healer and volunteers at multiple places including Arkham asylum, Healing their injured. When she gets a call asking for her assistance in healing the infamous Jerome valeska after his face was removed she’s thrown into a position where her morals will be tested.
Relationships: Friendship - Relationship, platonic - Relationship
Kudos: 2





	1. Meet Harriet Hoffman

The ringing of her phone awoke Harriet from her sleep. Groaning slightly she stretches after sitting upright on her sofa. She grabs her phone before it stopped ringing “hello?” She asks, a slight croak to her voice a male voice answers “hi, sorry to wake you but is this Harriet Hoffman?” She nods before realising he couldn’t see her “this is her” the man clears his throat “yeah, I’m Markus and I work for the GCPD. We’ve heard great things about your work at Arkham and your occasional voluntary work here at the precinct” Harriet blushes under the compliment “it’s nothing really” Markus continued “ no really, your help with the injured at the GCPD massacre last year helped a lot” Harriet smiles “I’m glad to be of service. Speaking of, how can I help you today?” Markus shuffles paper before speaking again “I don’t know weather you heard but Jerome Valeska has risen from the dead and kidnapped bruce Wayne” Harriet puts her hand over her mouth “oh my god, is he ok?, Bruce I mean” “he’s okay, he’s back with his guardian” Harriet breathes a sigh of relief “that’s good to hear, but what does this have to do with me?” Markus clears his throat again “ that’s what I’m getting to. It seems a follow of Jerome cut off his face, he then proceeded to staple it back on” Harriet cringes as Markus tells the story “yikes. I suppose you would like my help in patching the guy up?” Markus sighs “yes. He’s on his was to the precinct as we speak” Harriet rubs her face with her free hand “I’ll see what I can do, I’ll be there as quick as I can” she makes her way to her room as she finished up the call. A goodbye and a click of the phone line later she reaches her room, almost running for the cupboard near her bed. She pulls a few things from it that would help, a glue like elixir that she often made and gave to hospitals, anti- bacterial wash, a needle and thread; in case he needed stitches. She rushes out of her room and into her small apartment kitchen and pulls out a drink from the fridge. A drink to help raise blood cell and iron levels, “if he had his face cut off he’s probably lost a bit of blood” she thought aloud before grabbing a bottle of water and two chocolate bars. Harriet didn’t know why she grabbed two, was one meant for him? ‘Well he’s lost a lot of blood and probably feels like shit, least I could do is give him something nice to eat before he goes to Arkham’ she thought as she locks the door to her apartment. 

Reaching the police precinct a while later she breathes deeply, trying to calm her nerves. She had healed some of Arkham’s worst patients and yet a boy no older then she was made her anxious. Perhaps it was because he was unpredictable? Maybe it was because he had died and practically had no face? Who knows. Harriet shakes her head as she enters the building. A man rushes up to her and she recognised him the moment he spoke “Harriet, you’re here” Markus was out of breathe and Harriet offers him a kind smile “yes I’m here, where’s Jerome?” She adjusts her bag as she waited for a response “he’s in the medical examiner’s office, he’s waiting for you” he places a hand Harriets shoulder “you ready?” she nodded “of course, lead the way”


	2. Buy Pirelli’s miracle elixir

Harriet walks through the precinct and stays silent throughout their walk. They reach the medical examiner’s office and Markus pats her shoulder “good luck, he’s in there” he opens the door and holds it for her, the knot in her stomach tightened as she spots him, sat on the counter, his face was getting unbandaged as she walks in. The medical examiner finished removing his bandages and takes out the flesh that was his face from a sterile wash. She gives Harriet a kind smile as she passes “he’s all yours” Harriet nodded and turns to face Jerome. She offers him a warm smile “hi, you must be Jerome.” Jerome turns to look at her and if he had his face on he probably would be giving her a dirty look “well duh, what rock have you been living under?.” Harriets face falls, placing her bag on a spare counter top she places her hands on her hips “well excuse me, mister. Sorry I haven’t been keeping up with the program. At least I don’t look like a pepperoni pizza gone wrong” Jerome blinks rapidly and looks at her as if he couldn’t believe she said that “what did you just say about me?” Harriet wide eyed speaks with a small voice “um, nothing” Jerome scoffs before laughing “you’ve got balls kid, I respect that” Harriet smiles weakly before grabbing her bag and placing it nearer to Jerome, tying her hair up she goes about sanitising her hands and preparing everything she needed, all the while Jerome was watching her with rapt attention. After awhile he speaks “so, you gotta name?” Harriet nodded without looking at him answers “yep, it’s Harriet” Jerome nods slowly “Harriet, huh? That’s a pretty name.” Harriet smirks before firing back with a sarcastic tone to her voice “thanks I got it for my birthday” Jerome rolls his eyes at Harriets comment. He watched as she grabs a few bottles from her bag. Harriet sighs before looking at Jerome ”right, lets get that face on” she smiles, Jerome perks up at this “make me handsome again, will ya doc” Harriet didn’t see it but Jerome was swinging his legs slightly as he spoke. Harriet grabs the sides of the facial skin and lines it up to the rest of his face, she brings it back to her slightly “I’ll try. I must admit it won’t be easy” Jerome huffs and pouts slightly “well try hard will ya” Harriet smiles and speaks with a kind voice “I’ll try for you” Jerome’s eyes appear to light up when she says that “I appreciate that” he seemed to mean it. Harriet begins to put the glue like elixir on the piece of skin. Whilst she waited for it to go tacky she holds the elixir bootle up to show him, a sense of pride in her body language. She puts it back down and checks the elixir, which had now turned tacky. Being careful not to touch it she gets closer to the red head “ok, so this is an elixir that I made that’s gunna help glue your face back on, so sit still for a bit and we’ll have that face on in no time” Jerome sighs “thank god for that” Harriet smiles before lining up the skin to the rest of his face “ok, imma start now. Hang tight and let me and my elixirs work their magic” she begins to work when Jerome snorts, Harriet moves her head to the side “what’s funny?” 

Jerome laughs slightly “you say elixirs a lot” he stated. Harriet shrugs “your point?”Jerome raises a hand slightly as if Harriet was completely missing the obvious “c’mon, you gotta admit it’s kinda funny” Harriet smiles and laughs slightly “suppose it is” she continues to work on his face, making sure everything was lined up. Jerome didn’t speak for a bit but starts singing quietly to himself, a cocky grin on his face “was it quick sir, did it in a tick sir, just like an elixir ought to do” he starts to get on to the next part when Harriet sighs loudly “are you serious?” She asks, her eyebrow raised. Jerome raised his newly attached eyebrows, a slight whine to his voice “what? It’s a good song!” He shrugged nonchalantly, as if was obvious. Harriet shakes her head, a playful smile on her face “how the fuck do you know Sweeney Todd?” Jerome places a hand on his chest in mock offence “can a guy not appreciate good musical theatre, eesh loosen up will ya” he fiddled with the tail of his jacket as Harriet does the finishing touches to his face . Harriet stands up straight and looks at him and nodded, pleased with her handy work “all done” she stated proudly and holds up a mirror that she got from her bag to show him. Jerome makes a humming sound and turns to Harriet. He admires his reflection in the mirror, he runs a hand through his hair “wow , you sure did a good job sweets” Harriets cheeks burned slightly under the compliment “why thank you” Jerome smiles, it stretching slightly wider then it used to “don’t tell me you’re going all shy on me” he was clearly enjoying teasing the girl. Harriet become wide eyed “I’m not!” She huffs folding her arms. Jerome leans forward slightly “you’re blushing” Harriets cheeks burned more, she exhales sharply “am not!” Jerome laughs, his legs swinging once again “don’t worry, I’m flattered that I can make you blush”. Harriet shakes her head and hands him the drink and chocolate bar from her bag, she was determined to not let him win this “here drink and eat this and don’t think you’re in with a shot just cause you managed to slightly flatter me” Jerome exhales sharply and places his hands oh his thighs “oh c’mon”. Jerome was silent for a bit but quickly begins to eat the chocolate bar. Once finished he screws up the wrapper and aims to throw it in the bin in the corner of the room, the wrapper lands in the bin and he lets out a silent ‘yes’. He turns his attention to the drink smelling it after unscrewing the lid “what is this?” Harriet, who was putting everything away turns to face him “it’s to help raise your blood cell and iron levels, you lost a lot of blood having your face cut off so it should make you feel a little better” Jerome nodded and takes a swig of the drink. He gags at the taste of the concoction “ugh this tastes like shit” he sticks out his tongue, obvious disgust on his face and Harriet laughs “first of all, how would you know what shit tastes like and secondly it’s a herbal drink, sorry it doesn’t taste like strawberry milkshake” she takes the drink off him. Jerome places his hands behind his head and leans back slightly “I prefer chocolate” Harriet shakes her head “I’m actually going to stab you” she replies, of course she didn’t mean it but that didn’t stop Jerome from leaning in closer, a slight warning to his voice “id like to see you try sweets” Harriet was about to respond when two Arkham guards came into the room, escorted by two GCPD officers “it’s time to go, Valeska” one of the Arkham guards declared, nobody said anything as they grab the boy and began to escort him out. He turns slightly to better face Harriet “see ya around, Harriet” he grins and Harriet smirks “I sometimes volunteer at Arkham so I’m sure you will” Jerome winks at her “I look forward to see your pretty face again” Harriet sighs and folds her arms “just don’t get into trouble I don’t wanna have to patch you up again. Jerome pretended to sound shocked “me? When have I ever gotten into trouble? Harriet didn’t have time to respond as the group disappeared from the room. 

She packed away her belongings and left the room, she says goodbye to Markus. Leaving the building she places her earphones into her ears. Ke$ha blaring through the earphone she makes her way home. Her day had definitely became more interesting.


	3. Me, you & Arkham

The birds sang as Harriet made her way towards Arkham asylum. She decided to listen to nature on her walk instead of her headphones. She had a particularly preppy skip in her step today, which was noticed by most of the guards as she entered the building. ‘You look chipper today, Hoffman’. ‘ nice to see you look so happy today, love’ she smiles as the compliments to her cheery mood kept coming, making her way to her office space she decides to stop by the recreation space, where inmates gather to eat and spend time with eachother. She leans on the bars, watching the inmates. She was paying such close attention to a particular accident prone inmate, she didn’t notice a familiar figure walking up to her until she heard a whistling And bars rattling slightly as the inmate leans against the bars aswell. 

“well, hello again miss elixir. Miss me?” The voice sent a chill down her spine, but she smiles. She knew it was jerome.  
“well, the last few days have been a little boring without you, but can’t say I have”  
Jerome was silent for a few moments before speaking   
“well then”   
His voice held slight hurt but also amusement as this woman’s constant sharp whit, it was definitely interesting for him  
Harriet turns to face him and laughs slightly   
“I’m joking, it’s definitely been less interesting without you around, even if we only met that once. You can’t fake or forget that dazzling personality”  
She gets closer to the bars, her hands behind her back and a somewhat flirtatious smile on her face. Jerome smiles wickedly   
“why thank you, always nice to be appreciated”   
Harriet laughs slightly again   
“that and I kinda missed your singing”  
Jerome, taken aback by the comment, couldn’t hide the confusion on his face “you missed my singing?”   
She nodded the flirty smile was replaced by a cocky one  
“yeah, I actually kinda missed your terrible singing”   
Jerome places and hand on his chest, puffing it out slightly  
“I’ll have you know missy, that I’m an excellent singer”   
Harriet folds her arms. Now it was her turn to puff out her chest   
“the multiple voice cracks I heard say otherwise 

Jerome pauses for a few beats before placing his fingers into the links in the fencing  
“ya’know I almost forgot what a sarcastic little shit you are”   
Harriet winks before getting a little closer to the chained barrier   
“well get used to it buster, I volunteer here, so you’ll have to get used to my sarcastic wit”   
Jerome hums, a smirk on his face. He was enjoying this. But before he could answer her a few voices began calling his name. Harriet jutted her chin out towards the sound   
“looks like they’re calling you, red”   
Jerome looks towards the voices calling his name, two inmates. One had a bag over his head, the other wore a hat made of paper machè. Harriet was admiring the handy work of the hat when jeromes voice drew her attention back to him   
“looks like they are...well I’ll see ya around, kid”   
Harriet scoffed at the nickname; kid, really?  
“I’m a year younger then you, dont call me kid!” She folded her arms. irritation clear in her voice. Jerome playfully rolled his eyes at her   
“oh c’mon, I mean it with all the kindness I can muster” he smiles at her before turning on his heels to join the two men who were calling him   
“that’s not saying a lot” harriets voice was small but could still be heard   
Jerome turns to look at her, an eyebrow raised   
“what was that, sweetheart?”   
Harriet stumbles over her words slightly, shit he heard her   
“nothing!”  
She calls back, Jerome just shook his head and headed towards the two men. leaving Harriet at the bars, a small smile of her face 

“Hoffman, wake up”   
Harriet jerks awake and peels a blank piece of paper from her face.   
“Oh, mr. Michaels. I’m sorry, I fell asleep again didn’t I?”   
She shakes her head, already knowing full well that she indeed fell asleep   
“Yes, not only that...I need to have a word with you”   
She nodded, sitting with a much more straighter posture  
“Sure, what’s up”   
“It’s about valeska....you need to be more careful around him”   
She cocked her head to the side   
“I assure you, mr. Michaels. I’m being very careful around him”   
He gets closer to her desk   
“That’s the thing. He seems to think you have a soft spot for him”   
Harriet wide eyed, Almost chokes on nothing   
“I’m...I do not have a soft spot for him” She raised her voice slightly, which made mr.Michaels raise an eyebrow   
“That’s what he said in his last verbal therapy session” he sighs, taking off his glasses and beginning to clean them.   
“it’s ether that or he’s projecting his own infatuation of you. It’s not looking good either way, Harriet. I don’t want a repeat of the miss, treswick incident”   
She looks down at the desk.   
miss. treswick was the last woman to be the resident nurse here at arkham once miss. Thompkins left. She was murdered by the inmate she helped escape after the pair became infatuated with eachother. Harriets mind raced with thoughts   
Would Jerome ever hurt her? She knew he was more then capable of doing so, but the more she thought about it, the more her head began to hurt  
With a shake of her head she looks the man in the eyes   
“I know, I know. I assure you my relationship with mr. Valeska isn’t of that nature and I have no intention of making it so”   
She shuffled papers,her blonde curly hair falling into her face   
“Right, let’s hope so”   
Was his only response before he turns on his heels and shuts the door after him.


	4. Hatters and scarecrows and jokers oh my

A sense of deja vu escaped the sleeping figure of Harriet as she groggily answers the phone before it could finish ringing.   
“hello?” Her slightly cracked voice answers, sitting up in bed and rubbing her eyes   
“is this Harriet Hoffman?” An unfamiliar voice responded, causing a sense of anxiety to shoot up the blondes spine, causing a shiver   
“yes, may I ask who’s speaking?” She said, ripping the sheets off her and heading out of her room. Her voice became more professional.  
“this is captain Jim Gordon, I wanted to ask you a few questions. Do you have a minute?” The voice of the GCPD Captain explained which earned a small hum of agreement from Harriet, who had began to search for clothes to slip into   
“yes of course how can I help mr Gordon?” She asked as she plucked a plain black shirt from a pile  
“are you familiar with two arkham inmates that escaped, named Jervis Tetch and Jerome valeska?” Came the answer almost immediately after she had spoken. 

Of course he would be calling her about Jerome. Although the name Jervis was new to her, ‘perhaps he was one of the men that called for Jerome the last time a few weeks ago’ she thought before answering him   
“um, yeah....I volunteer at arkham so their names are familiar...why?”   
Jim was quick to explain   
“well, Tetch was injured during the mass rooftop incident and won’t let anybody touch him, he keeps asking for you. Said Jerome recommend you” he explained, sounding like he expected her to know what he was referring to and although he couldn’t see it, Harriet had a look of complete irritation but kept her voice calm.  
“I see, well if that’s the case I’ll see what I can do”   
Jim’s smile and relief could be felt through the phone as she agreed to help him   
“great, get to the GCPD as quick as you can and see if you can get information out of him about valeskas plan”   
Harriet sighs. She hated that she was asked to do this. But if it stopped Jerome from doing something stupid or getting himself or others hurt she was willing to at least try. She owed the city she loved that much   
“I’ll try, I’ll see you as soon as I can mr Gordon” and with that the call ended leaving Harriet with an anxious knot in her stomach.

As the GCPD station loomed in the distance Harriet worried what was in store for her. What she was walking into.   
She had never met Jervis Tetch before, only seeing him briefly a few times during her shifts at Arkham. She was curious to see him and know just exactly who jerome seemed to be allying himself with as an officer, who seemed to be in a rush began to brief her on the situation.  
she was made aware that Tetch had hypnotised everyone in Gotham via the radio station and was shot in the hand as an officer tried to stop him. With a knot still ever present in her stomach she walks into the M.E’s office to see a man in Arkham uniform clutching at his hand with a bruise forming on his forehead looking at nothing In particular, waiting patiently. 

As she entered further she Clears her throat   
“hello mr. Tetch, Captain gordon told me you asked for me personally to heal you” The man looked at her, acknowledging her presence. As he did she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. Harriet stood rooted to the spot for a moment, unsure as if to run away or run towards him before his voice broke her out of her thoughts   
“Ah yes Harriet, The dame Jerome named. I’ve seen your healing work in accurate depictions, there is none but you who I’ll allow to mend my afflictions”   
He explained as he straightened his posture, looking as if he was studying her.   
“I see, wait...Jerome spoke about me?” Was all she could get out. She knew Jerome had talked about her to the other arkham workers but to the other inmates. She understood it was most likely possible that he did but the thought still surprised her.   
Her words lead to Jervis giving the blonde a curt nod  
“yes, also it was you he was talking to at arkham, was it not?”   
He asked moving his head to the side.   
Harriet stared at him for muttering   
“i...yeah it was”   
The hatless hatter nodded slowly   
“very well” he said in a almost curt way 

The pair remained in somewhat blissful silence as Harriet grabbed what she needed and began to unwrap the bandage around Jervis’s hand, apologising profusely as he winced in pain. It was a while before anyone spoke   
“so...if I may ask, who shot you in the hand?” Harriet said as she finished cleaning the wound and putting an elixir designed to speed the healing on.  
“Jim Gordon was the man who shot me for you see he holds grievances against me”  
Came his response as he watched her work with idol curiosity  
Harriet stopped what she was doing to look at the man  
“wait he was the one who shot you?!”   
Jervis looked into her eyes, almost giving her the feeling as if he was staring into her soul.   
“yes, he was indeed the man who shot me”   
He tells her as she began to work on the newer bandages. With a saddened tone in her voice she didn’t look at him as she spoke. Jim had seemed in a rush on the phone but seemed a decent man and cop. Who knew he was the one to shoot the man in front of her.   
“how awful.....but no offence, you did almost drive the whole city to collectively commit suicide”   
She said with a slight shrug to which Jervis tutted slightly   
“none taken” he said simply, although it was evident he had taken some offence at her words. Harriet just looked at him before smiling and finishing the bandages 

The guards took Jervis from her without so much as a word. Harriet rolled her eyes hard and walked out only to be greeted by the familiar face of Markus   
“Did you get anything out of him?”   
He asked before he actually reached her.   
Harriet shook her head. Before he was taken away she had attempted to ask him what he knew. But whatever he knew he seemed to want to take it to the grave.   
“No, and I don’t think the guards will get much out of him either” she said, a slight saddened tone to her voice. Markus just put a hand on his hand on her shoulder  
“Hey, don’t worry about too much. We get them, leave it to us”   
His words brought a small smile to tug at her lips. Leaving her with a quick ruffle of her hair she headed out of the precinct she let her mind wonder to Jerome. She knew Jervis was going back to Arkham but as she walked the streets of Gotham she wondered where he was. He was on the run after all.   
Her thoughts were answered when a gloved hand reached out for her in the alley she was passing, the other going over her mouth to stop the scream bubbling at her throat. The gloved figure calmly turned her around to face him, her breath hitching in her throat at the sight of figure in front of her


End file.
